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Former Berlusconi Employee
To Run Independent Network

By

Yaroslav Trofimov Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated May 17, 2001 12:01 a.m. ET

ROME -- When Silvio Berlusconi becomes Italian prime minister next month, he'll also be crowned king of Italian TV. When Italians watch television -- and they do it a lot -- more than 90% are tuned either to stations run by Mr. Berlusconi's Mediaset SpA or to the state RAI SpA network that he will now indirectly control.

Yet, there will be a plucky independent voice -- managed by a former employee who has helped Mr. Berlusconi become...